Ricotta and Salami Calzones

Before you start

A calzone is a round of pizza dough folded over a cheese filling, sealed into a half-moon and baked until puffed and golden. The classic Italian-American version leans on ricotta, mozzarella and cured meat, with tomato sauce served alongside for dipping rather than inside, where it would turn the filling watery and soften the bottom crust.

Leaks are the main frustration, and almost all of them come from moisture or a poor seal. Drain the ricotta, keep a clean 2.5 cm (1 inch) border free of filling and oil, fold the bottom edge up over the top and crimp it firmly. Then cut two small vents so steam has an exit other than the seam. An egg in the filling binds the cheeses as they bake, and the calzone is cooked well past the point where it sets.

Ingredients

• Dough500 g (4 cups) bread flour
• 325 g (1⅓ cups) warm water — about 35°C (95°F)
• 4 g (1¼ tsp) instant yeast
• 10 g (1¾ tsp) fine salt
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
• Filling450 g (2 cups) whole-milk ricotta — drained for 30 minutes
• 170 g (1½ cups) low-moisture mozzarella — shredded
• 30 g (½ cup) Parmigiano-Reggiano — finely grated
• 1 large egg
• 115 g (4 oz) Genoa salami or pepperoni — chopped
• ½ tsp each black pepper and dried oregano
• Finish1 large egg — beaten with 1 tbsp water
• 360 ml (1½ cups) marinara sauce — warmed, for serving

Method

1. Mix the flour, yeast, salt, water and olive oil and knead for 8 minutes by hand or 5 minutes in a mixer, until smooth. Cover and let rise about 90 minutes, until doubled.
2. Meanwhile, set the ricotta in a sieve lined with paper towels over a bowl and drain for at least 30 minutes. Stir it with the mozzarella, Parmigiano, egg, salami, pepper and oregano. Refrigerate until needed.
3. Heat the oven to 240°C (475°F) with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
4. Divide the dough into 4 pieces of about 210 g and shape into balls. Rest them 10 minutes, then roll each into a 23 cm (9 in) round on a lightly floured counter.
5. Spoon a quarter of the filling, about 190 g, onto the lower half of each round, leaving a 2.5 cm (1 in) border. Brush the border lightly with water. Fold the top half over, press the edges together, then roll the bottom edge up and over and crimp with a fork or by pinching and twisting.
6. Transfer to the baking sheets, two per sheet. Brush with egg wash and cut two 2 cm (¾ in) slits in each top to vent steam.
7. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, swapping pans halfway, until deep golden brown and firm when tapped. Rest 10 minutes; the filling is extremely hot right out of the oven. Serve with warm marinara.

Tips for success

• Cold filling on room-temperature dough is easier to seal and less likely to weep before baking.
• Keep oil, egg wash and filling off the border; any fat in the seam stops it from sealing.
• Shape and fill one calzone at a time and move it to the pan immediately so the bottom does not stick to the counter.

Substitutions

Salami

Use 150 g cooked crumbled Italian sausage, or 120 g sautéed spinach squeezed very dry for a vegetarian filling. Wet vegetables must be drained well or they will leak.

Whole-milk ricotta

Part-skim ricotta works but is grainier and releases more liquid; drain it for a full hour.

Homemade dough

500 g store-bought pizza dough brought to room temperature works the same way. Divide it into four.

Variations

Spinach and mushroom

Replace the salami with 120 g squeezed cooked spinach and 150 g mushrooms sautéed until dry, plus a minced garlic clove.

Mini calzones

Divide the dough into 8 pieces rolled to 15 cm (6 in). Use about 95 g filling each and bake for 12 to 14 minutes.

Troubleshooting

Filling leaked out of the seam

The seam was greasy, too narrow or not rolled over. Keep a clean 2.5 cm border, fold the edge over itself and cut vents.

Bottom is pale and soft

The sheet was too high in the oven or the filling was wet. Bake on the lower rack for the last 5 minutes and drain the ricotta well.

Calzone deflated into a flat pocket

No vents, so steam escaped through a weak spot and collapsed the top. Always cut two small slits.

Filling is runny inside

Undrained ricotta or watery add-ins. Drain the cheese and cook and squeeze any vegetables before adding them.

Storage

Refrigerate cooled calzones within 2 hours, wrapped, for up to 3 days. Reheat at 190°C (375°F) for 12 to 15 minutes until hot through. Baked calzones freeze for up to 2 months; reheat from frozen for about 25 minutes.

Safety notes

The filling contains raw egg, which is fully cooked in the oven; do not taste it before baking. Do not eat raw dough. Contains wheat, milk and egg.